Current Awareness in Aging Research (CAAR) Report #379--March 22, 2007

CAAR (Current Awareness in Aging Research) is a weekly email report produced
by the Center for Demography of Health and Aging at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
that helps researchers keep up to date with the latest developments in the field.
For more information, including an archive of back issues and subscription information
see:

5. CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES REPORT: "The Aging of
Korea: Demographics and Retirement Policy in the Land of the Morning Calm," by Neil Howe, Richard Jackson, and Keisuke Nakashima (March 2007, .pdf
format, 52p.).

F. "Medicare Policy Workshop on the Rise of Private Fee-For-Service Plans," a workshop held March 16, 2007 (MP3 and video format, running time 1:29:32).
Note: A transcript in .pdf format is also available.

10. CALIFORNIA HEALTH CARE FOUNDATION REPORT: "Racial, Cultural, and Ethnic
Factors Affecting the Quality of End-of-Life Care in California," by LaVera
Crawley and Marjorie Kagawa Singer (March 2007, .pdf format, 51p.). Links to
the report, and supplemental material, can be found at the end of the page.

15. JOURNAL OF AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION ARTICLE ABSTRACT: "Trends in
the Black-White Life Expectancy Gap in the United States, 1983-2003," by Sam
Harper, John Lynch, Scott Burris, and George Davey Smith (Vol. 297, No. 1,
March 21, 2007, p. 1224-1232).

Building on the idea that religiosity and spirituality are related yet
distinct phenomena, this study examined whether formal religious
participation and daily spiritual experiences are independently and equally
associated with diverse dimensions of psychological well-being (negative
affect, positive affect, purpose in life, positive relations with others,
personal growth, self-acceptance, environmental mastery, and autonomy). Data
came from 1,801 respondents in the 2005 National Survey of Midlife in the
U.S. (MIDUS). Results indicated that more frequent daily spiritual
experiences were independently and consistently associated with better
psychological well-being; three salutary associations were stronger among
women than men. Although more frequent formal religious participation was
independently associated with higher purpose in life, positive relations
with others, and (among older adults) personal growth, it was also linked
with lower autonomy and environmental mastery. Overall, results suggest that
daily spiritual experiences and formal religious participation are linked in
separate and non-equal ways with psychological well-being.

A. "Saving and Demographic Change: The Global Dimension," by Barry Bosworth
and Gabriel Chodorow-Reich (WP 2007-2, February 2007, .pdf format, 20p.).
Links to the abstract and full-text can be found at:

B. "Cross-National Comparison of Income and Wealth Status in Retirement:
First Results From the Luxembourg Wealth Study (LWS)," by Eva Sierminska,
Andrea Brandolini, and Timothy M. Smeeding (WP 2007-3, February 2007, .pdf
format, 38p.). Links to the abstract and full-text can be found at:

C. "Job Changes at Older Ages: Effects on Wages, Benefits, and Other Job
Attributes," by Richard W. Johnson and Janette Kawachi (WP 2007-4, February
2007, .pdf format, 31p.). Links to the abstract and full-text can be found
at:

D. "International Investment for Retirement Savers: Historical Evidence on
Risk and Returns," by Gary Burtless (WP 2007-5, February 2007, .pdf format,
40p.). Links to the abstract and full-text can be found at:

F. "Social Security Spouse and Survivor Benefits for the Modern Family," by
Melissa M. Favreault and C. Eugene Steuerle (WP 2007-7, February 2007, .pdf
format, 27p.). Links to the abstract and full-text can be found at:

Patient cost-sharing for primary care and prescription drugs is designed to
reduce the prevalence of moral hazard in utilization. Yet the success of
this strategy depends on two factors: the elasticity of demand for those
medical goods, and the risk of downstream hospitalizations by reducing
access to beneficial health care. Amazingly, we know little about either of
these factors for the elderly, the most intensive consumers of health care
in our country. We remedy both of these deficiencies by studying a policy
change that raised patient cost-sharing for retired public employees in
California. We find that physician office visits and prescription drug
utilization are very price sensitive; while direct comparison is difficult,
the price sensitivity appears to greatly exceed that of the famous RAND
Health Insurance Experiment (HIE). Moreover, unlike the HIE, we find large "offset" effects in terms of increased hospital utilization in response to
the combination of higher copayments for physicians and prescription drugs.
These offset effects are concentrated in patients for whom medical care is
presumably efficacious: those with a chronic disease. Finally, we find that
the savings from increased cost-sharing accrue mostly to the supplemental
insurer, while the costs of increased hospitalization accrue mostly to
Medicare; thus, there is a fiscal externality associated with cost-sharing
increases by supplemental insurers. Our findings suggest that optimal
insurance should be tied to underlying health status, with chronically ill
patients facing lower cost-sharing. We also conclude that the externalities
to Medicare from supplemental insurance coverage may be more modest than
previously suggested due to these offsets.

23. American Journal of Public Health (Vol. 97, No. 4, April 1, 2007). Note:
Full electronic text of this journal is available in the ProQuest Research
Library and EBSCO Host Academic Elite database. Check your library for the
availability of these databases and this issue.

26. Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social
Sciences (Vol. 62B, No. 2, March 2007). Note: Full electronic text of this
journal is available in the ProQuest Research Library. Check your library
for the availability of this database and this issue.

28. AMEDEO MEDICAL LITERATURE: Note: "AMEDEO has been created to serve the
needs of healthcare professionals, including physicians, nurses,
pharmacists, administrators, other members of the health professions, and
patients and their friends. They can easily access timely, relevant
information within their respective fields... All AMEDEO services are free
of charge. This policy was made possible thanks to generous unrestricted
educational grants provided by AMGEN, Berlex, Eisai, Glaxo Wellcome,
Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, and Schering AG."

32. LEAVEY SCHOOL OF BUSINESS [SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY: "2007 Silicon Valley
Boomer Business Plan Competition," June 19, 2007 (Santa Clara, CA). "From
early-stage ventures in medicine to media, fashion to financial services and
beyond, the 2007 Boomer Business Plan Competition aims to generate the best
ideas from the best universities as well as tap into the business expertise
and creativity of any entrepreneurs globally who are addressing the 45+
market." Executive summaries are due April 20, 2007.

33. NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON AGING: "Taking the Next Step: Technical Assistance
Workshop," to be held November 15-16, 2007 (San Francisco, CA). "The
Technical Assistance Workshop is a 2-day interactive forum for pre- and
post-doctoral students and recent recipients of Ph.D., M.D. or related
doctoral degrees who are members of groups under-represented in aging
research. During the workshop, NIA staff and associated faculty members will
present information and provide technical assistance on applying for NIA
grants. Participants in the workshop, depending on career stage, will have
an opportunity to make podium presentations of current or planned research
projects, receiving feedback from peers and NIA staff." The deadline for
applications is July 16, 2007.

36. US HOUSE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS, SUBCOMMITTEE ON INCOME SECURITY
AND FAMILY SUPPORT HEARING TESTIMONY: "Hearing on Assistance for Elderly and
Disabled Refugees," a hearing held March 22, 2007.

37. US SENATE COMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS,
PERMANENT SUBCOMMITTEE ON INVESTIGATIONS HEARING TESTIMONY: "Medicare
Doctors Who Cheat On Their Taxes And What Should Be Done About It," a
hearing held March 20, 2007.

40. KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION STATEHEALTHFACTS.ORG UPDATES: "Kaiser's
statehealthfacts.org has added and updated several tables between Mar. 1,
2007 and Mar. 19, 2007 that may be of interest to aging researchers.